With just a little foresight, you can make your sterling silver cubic zirconia jewelry last a long, long time. Maintaining that just-bought-it-off-the-store luster and shine can be a little easier if you practice more care with your jewelry pieces. Sterling silver in itself is a hardy material. It does not break, crack or chip easily. Cubic zirconia too is just as resilient, and can usually resist cleaving or flaking. However, the stress on the jewelry pieces can sometimes increase especially when the same pieces are being worn on an almost 24/7 basis. Here are some tips on how to properly wear, store and clean your sterling silver cubic zirconia jewelry.

Wearing and removing your jewelry pieces at the right time

If you have to wear your sterling silver cubic zirconia jewelry for most of the day (and the night too,) you have to make sure that you take these off on at least one or two occasions. You can place your jewelry in your jewelry box or at the top of your night stand (wooden surfaces are best) if you are taking a bath, or even just washing your hands. Leaving your valuables on one corner of the kitchen sink not only increases the chances of your jewelry going down the drain; but stainless steel and ceramic finishes on the sink can cause tarnishes as well. Hard water plus detergent can likewise cause discoloration on both the sterling silver and your cubic zirconia gem. If you have to use any chemical solution like lotions, perfumes, carpet cleaners, or dog shampoo; it would be prudent to remove all your sterling silver cubic zirconia jewelry for the time being.

Even bathing in the pools and oceans can cause irreparable damage to your jewelry. Chlorine in most pools causes sterling silver to turn yellow; while the salt in the open waters can rob your cubic zirconia of its shine making it look cloudy and dull.

Storing your jewelry pieces properly

Never store your jewelry wet. Although this sounds like an uncommon thing to say, you might be surprised to find out how many people actually let their valuables air dry after getting wet. Sterling silver, in particular, is prone to water stains - very much like what you see in cars that have been allowed to air dry. These water stains are equally difficult to remove. In many cases, such stains will only come out if you seek professional cleaning services from the jeweler. You can avoid the emergence of these unsightly water stains on your sterling silver cubic zirconia jewelry if you make sure that you dry your jewelry pieces with a dry non-abrasive paper towel first. Buff them gently with soft fabric until it regains their shine, before finally storing them away.

Occasional professional cleaning is required

Even if you clean and buff your jewelry pieces regularly, there will come a time when you would have to take your valuables to the nearest jeweler for some professional cleaning. Home solutions may be cheaper, but may also cause permanent damage to some of your pieces if you misuse the chemicals. A once-a-year professional cleaning will bring back the luster of your gems, and can get the accumulated grime and dirt out of jewelry corners, joints and all those hard to clean places.